Fate Incarnate
by jw1699
Summary: Backed into a corner during the Sound-Sand invasion, Sarutobi Hiruzen's summoning jutsu goes awry against his traitorous student Orochimaru. Instead of his oldest ally Monkey King Enma, a different spirit answers his call – a spirit from the Throne of Heroes. For a world trapped in a cursed cycle of war, perhaps what the shinobi system needs most is the touch of a magus…
1. Chapter 1

**Fate/Incarnate**

**Backed into a corner during the Sound-Sand invasion, Sarutobi Hiruzen's summoning jutsu goes awry against his traitorous student Orochimaru. Instead of his oldest ally Monkey King Enma, a different spirit answers his call – a spirit from the Throne of Heroes. For a world trapped in a cursed cycle of war, perhaps what the shinobi system needs most is the touch of a magus…**

* * *

The midday sun reflected off of the purple barrier enrapturing Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konohagakure, trapping him in pitched combat with his wayward student. The two men were standing on opposite sides of a long rooftop, a bamboo construct built in Konoha's favored style of architecture.

Hiruzen let out a cough of blood as he glared at Konoha's most infamous traitor who was currently smirking in an insufferably self-satisfied manner.

"Even if I fall here, another will rise in my place to defend Konoha", growled the aged warrior.

"Kukukuku", chuckled Orochimaru as he waved towards the advancing invasion and carnage in the background, "then where are your heroes now, Sensei?"

Hiruzen grimaced as he leveled his staff towards Orochimaru.

"That's neither here nor there. My only solace is that I had the foresight to pass you over in favor of the Fourth all of those years ago…"

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed at the slight, "And look where Namikaze Minato is now – dead, buried alongside the rest of your precious village.

The Snake Sannin continued, "Looking back, leaving Konoha was the best thing that could have happened to me. While you've been trapped by the duties of your position, I've been travelling the world uncovering secrets you could only dream of..."

Hiruzen could only watch in horror as Orochimaru then clasped his hands together in a forbidden seal.

**Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Edo Tensei!**

Three coffins rose into existence as if answering the call of their summoner, and emblazoned on each coffin were the kanji respectively denoting – First, Second, and Fourth.

"_I can't let him finish the technique", thought Hiruzen in desperation._

Flaring his chakra, the aged Sandaime focused on sealing the summoning of the coffins.

To his displeasure, he was only able to stop the final of the three coffins.

The battlefield was silent as the remaining two coffins opened. From the first coffin, a tanned man cloaked in red armor stepped out into Hiruzen's line of view. And from the second coffin, he was quickly joined by a man with snow-white hair who was adjusting his own set of ocean-blue battle armor.

"_Impossible! They're standing right in front of me, my old mentors and previous Hokage, the Senju brothers themselves!", examined Hiruzen._

Hashirama shrugged his shoulders as he noticed Hiruzen standing on the opposite side of the rooftop, "Is that you, Hiruzen? How many years has it been?"

Tobirama turned around to glare at Orochimaru, "Making tools of the dead… nothing good has ever come of playing with time."

Hiruzen bowed his head at his predecessors, "One last time, I will protect this village that you two have entrusted to me. Even if that means taking you both down with Orochimaru!"

Hashirama sighed as he gazed at the smoke and bloodshed in the village around him, "No matter how much the world changes, there is always fighting, isn't there Sarutobi?"

Hiruzen settled into a battle-ready stance in response as Orochimaru formed a hand-seal causing the eyes of the Senju brothers to glaze over.

"They're under my control completely", gloated Orochimaru, "Truly, it's poetic that this village will fall by the hands of the men who built it from ground-up."

The Edo Tensei was a unique technique even amongst the more esoteric branches of ninjutsu. While normally a summoning technique requires the user's blood as a conduit to the spiritual realm, the Edo Tensei requires an entire corpse to hold reanimated souls. Under the contract between summoner and sacrifice, souls can be restored briefly from the pure realm in perfect condition – a spirit's power was determined by the life that soul live. As the Shodaime and Nidaime Hokage, the incarnations of the Senju brothers had returned at the apex of their legendary strengths now wielded by Orochimaru.

Hiruzen flared his chakra imbuing it with an elemental transformation.

**Fire Release: Fire Dragon Napalm!**

He felt his lungs expand to full capacity as he exhaled a flurry of fireballs at the re-animated Hokages.

Senju Tobirama took a step forward raising his arms around him drawing water out from the very atmosphere itself.

**Water Release: Waterfall Barrier**

A deluge of water shimmered into existence shielding the Senju brothers from the barrage of fireballs pelting them.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Hiruzen leapt forwards with the agility of a shinobi five decades younger.

Launching a roundhouse kick at Tobirama, he simultaneously expelled a burst of chakra at Hashirama to prevent the man from aiding his brother.

Tobirama sprang into action as Hiruzen's attack grazed his forehead protector. Backpedaling warily, he raised his arms defensively to grapple with the aged Sarutobi.

In a feat of inhuman grace, Hiruzen pivoted his center of gravity using Tobirama's shoulder as a fulcrum. He swung around the Nidaime delivering a mortal blow to the back of Tobirama's neck and pushed off of the corpse to spring backwards to a safe distance.

Tobirama didn't even flinch as he took the blow and stared at Hiruzen silently while grasping his own neck to forcefully reset the bones into place.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru laughed at Hiruzen's efforts, "Pure souls summoned from the Edo Tensei cannot be damaged. Any wounds they sustain in the mortal realm will simply be regenerated instantly."

Hiruzen froze as he heard Senju Hashirama's voice flow across the battlefield.

**Wood Release: Forest Genesis!**

"_This is the hidden nature transformation that only the Shodaime could use!" recalled Hiruzen._

Trees began erupting from the buildings underneath the combat as an entire forest sprang into existence in mere seconds.

Hiruzen was forced to dodge backwards to avoid being speared by wandering tendrils of tree branches. Every attempt he made to approach the Senju brothers was immediately stopped by the forest surrounding him.

As he drew too close to a tangle of roots, a wayward branch caught his ankle causing him to falter for a split second. In that moment of hesitation, an entire knot of tree roots had wrapped around his body encasing him in a wooden prison.

The Senju brothers slowly walked forwards to where the tangle of tree roots were slowly suffocating Hiruzen's trapped form.

"_It can't end like this", thought Hiruzen desperately,"If the reanimated Hokage are turned upon the village, it will spell the end for the Hidden Leaf…"_

Flaring chakra from his deepest reserves, Hiruzen formed the hand seal to break out of the knot of tree roots and perform his own summoning technique.

"_And so I pray… Lend me your strength to help me protect my people!"_

**Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Monkey King Enma!**

oOoOoOo

Alaya awakened from her slumber as she felt a disruption from the mortal realm.

As the spirit called on by the counterforce, Alaya only awoke when the world needed her most to defend it from extinction. The concept of the counterforce had always been essential to humanity; it represented the balance between the will of the earth, Gaia, and the spirit of humanity, Alaya.

Humans in their ever-expanding arrogance had once again pushed the boundaries of their mortal plane too far. Alaya looked on in curiosity as she absorbed information on the current age of man and their self-destructive spiral into war and depravity.

Satisfied with what she had gleaned, she sent out a summons for one of her servants.

Golden prana erupted from the air in front of her as a red-headed man clad in a mesh-suit emerged out of spiritual energy.

Alaya turned to address the newcomer.

"EMIYA. Although, you've only just arrived to the counterforce from the Throne of Heroes, I already find myself in need of your services. By the bounds of your contract, I order you to return to the mortal plane to correct the disruption in the pure world that I sense."

The summoned servant eyed his mistress with distaste, "Don't call me EMIYA, that's the name of an old acquaintance I try not to think about anymore. Call me Shirou."

Alaya nodded absently in return, "I will be transporting your spirit back into the mortal coil. Information about the current era will be provided by the counterforce. Return here immediately upon completing your assignment."

And with that, an enormous surge of spiritual energy erupted from Alaya as she harnessed the divinity inside of her to bend the fabric of space itself.

Shirou closed his eyes as Alaya's power flowed over him in a cocoon of crystallized prana.

As he felt reality warping around him, he could faintly hear voices in the ether around him that emanated from the unconscious will of humanity.

Latching onto the strongest wish in the void, Shirou was caught by the sincerity of the words.

"_And so I pray... Lend me your strength to help me protect my people!"_

Nodding to himself, Shirou reached towards the wish and drew his blade before vanishing into the ether to his newest deployment.

oOoOoOo

The instant Hiruzen cast his summoning technique, he knew something had gone awry. Instead of the characteristic plume of smoke that announced the arrival of Monkey King Enma, a flash of red light erupted from the floor in front of him.

An intricate seal inscribed itself into the ground as golden sparks began to erupt in the very air before him. Slowly, the form of a red-clad warrior gripping a twin set of blades shimmered into existence before Hiruzen. Dusting off his mesh battle-armor from shoulder down, the man turned to address Hiruzen while keeping an eye on his surroundings.

"By the contract of Alaya herself, I ask of you, are you my Master?" queried the ethereal spirit.

Hiruzen paused, puzzled by the question. "I'm not sure what's going on, but I must ask for your aid in combat, Master Swordsman."

"Then my blade shall be yours" smiled the red swordsman. "Please call me Shirou."

Hiruzen nodded in appreciation, "Likewise, call me Hiruzen." as he settled into a battle-stance facing the approaching Senju brothers.

Shirou eyed the world around him, old battle instincts flaring into action.

"_The presence of Gaia is weak here… I can sense little resistance to magecraft and its derivatives which will be an enormous boon to my fighting capabilities. The atmosphere is so saturated with prana that I likely won't even need to form a formal contract with a Master to sustain myself..."_

Assessing the threats in front of him, Shirou turned to Hiruzen, "I'll hold off the two in front of us, you go take care of their summoner over there" he said gesturing towards Orochimaru in the distance.

Hiruzen nodded and lithely hopped across the trees scattering the battlefield as Shirou pointed his blades at the Senju brothers.

When Tobirama moved to intercept Hiruzen, he felt a blade ripping through his back pinning him against a tree. Unable to feel pain, he only stared at the outstretched hand of the newcomer swordsman."

Shirou watched in morbid curiosity as Tobirama bare-handedly ripped the blade out of his abdomen allowing to wound to rapidly close soon after.

"_Is he some kind of dead apostle or vampiric undead?" wondered Shirou to himself, "Even amongst the The Twenty-Seven Ancestors, that level of regeneration would be impressive._

Willing his blade to return to him, the discarded Kanshou spun and returned itself to Shirou's hand as if pulled by a magnetic force.

Shirou's favored set of twin blades were a C-rank Noble Phantasm when paired together. Crystallized into their own legend, they were the work of a master swordsmith who had forged the blades in the grief of his wife's suicide. Having imbued his entire spirit into the blades, the swordsmith died shortly after completing his masterpiece. And thus, the married blades Kanshou and Bakuya are said to always return to one another no matter how far apart they're separated.

Shirou turned to face his other opponent who had been silent until now.

**Wood Release: Forest Dragon **

Hashirama entered the fray riding atop a colossal wooden dragon as the technique crashed down upon Shirou's position.

Activating his magical circuits, Shirou reinforced his entire body as he braced himself for collision against the incoming missile. The wooden dragon slammed into Shirou who gritted his teeth in pain as the blunt force forced him backwards.

Reversing his momentum, Shirou jumped forwards to engage Hashirama in direct combat when a wave of water crashed into his side revealing a recovered Tobirama.

The Senju brothers simultaneously dashed forwards to press their advantage as Shirou shook his head to combat the disorientating blow.

Hashirama reached Shirou first and let out a series of jabs at the redhead's ribcage.

In a feat of master swordsmanship, Shirou pulled Kanshou backwards to defend himself while delivering a jagged cut across Hashirama's arm with Bakuya. The undead Hokage didn't even blink as the blade bit into his flesh and retaliated by summoning a few tendrils of wooden spears from the ground beneath them.

Shirou disengaged his opponent to avoid being impaled and threw Bakuya at Hashirama to disrupt his jutsu. He then turned just in time to defend against Tobirama's arrival with his remaining blade Kanshou.

Spinning on his heel, Shirou called Bakuya back to him as the blade arced towards his outstretched hand. Plucking the twin blade out of the air, he severed the surprised Tobirama's leg at the knee and smashed Kanshou into the white-haired man's chest.

Forced to let go of the blades, Shirou ducked Hashirama's next attack as the tanned Senju pressed Shirou backwards to buy time for his brother to recover.

Moments after regenerating his leg, Tobirama kicked off from the ground forming a hand-seal in the air.

**Water Release: Rampaging Current**

A monstrous torrent of water appeared in the air as Shirou could feel the atmosphere around him dehydrating. After a split second, the enormous body of water that surrounding his world came crashing down on him in an apocalyptic deluge.

Flaring his magical circuits, Shirou reinforced his entire body once again allowing him to bear the brunt of the water damage. Drawing on his inner reserves, he drew forth the power needed for his one and only form of magecraft.

**I am the bone of my sword.**

_Imagining the concept._

_Forging the blade._

_Crystallizing the legend._

_**Come forth, the Unfading Light of the Lake, Arondlight!**_

A blade of pure white materialized into Shirou's hand as he gripped the handle gently.

Glimpsing the history of the blade, Shirou drew on the strength of the weapon's original owner – Lancelot du Lac. Greatest amongst the Knights of the Round Table, this was a man who had carved his blade's name into legend by pure skill at arms. Forged from the same divinity that is shared by its sister blade Excalibur, Arondlight was a divine construct said to be able to receive any attack without taking damage.

Having absorbed the skills of its previous master, Shirou drew Arondlight delivering a powerful slash that parted the torrent of water around him.

Gripping the blade tightly, he shot towards Tobirama arching the blade in a dangerous curve intent on bisecting the armored man.

Tobirama raised a wall of water in response, but the holy blade cut through the barrier as if it were only air. Shirou reinforced the blade even more as it tore into Tobirama from shoulder to hip leaving the Senju to fall backwards as his body struggled to heal the grievous wound.

Shirou spun just in time to face Hashirama who engaged the redhead with a flurry of jabs. Drawing on his sword's power once again, Shirou feinted left before spinning in a dance-like maneuver to deliver a matching blow across Hashirama's back.

By that time, Tobirama had recovered from his previous wounds and rejoined the fight with a spray of water bullets.

Weaving between each projectile, Shirou reinforced his legs before leaping at the Senju with an inhuman grace. He grabbed the water-user and threw him towards his recovering brother before appearing above both men to deliver an overhead blow that tore through both bodies.

**Steel is my body and fire is my blood.**

In his offhand, Shirou traced a small dagger with a curved blade. Before either brother could recover, he impaled the dagger into Tobirama's abdomen and used his reinforced strength to tear through the Senju burying the blade into his brother Hashirama.

Shirou smiled as the wounds refused to heal.

"Severing the contract – complete", said Shirou to himself as he activated the abilities of the curved dagger, Rule Breaker.

As the favored offhand of the Witch of Betrayal herself, Rule Breaker was a divine construct that contained anti-magic properties capable of destroying any form of thaumaturgy including magical contracts. By the power imbued in the blade, all magical energy that came into contact with the dagger would return to its original components. With chakra being a natural derivative of prana, the dagger was capable of negating the summoning contract that powered the Edo Tensei.

Shirou watched as the Senju brothers before him seemed to disintegrate before his eyes. Their once healthy skin quickly returned to the mottled shade of grey characteristic of the corpse used in their summoning. As the spirits returned to the pure world, all that was left in their place were two twisted cadavers that lay motionlessly on the ground before him.

Turning his attention to the ongoing battle between Orochimaru and the Sandaime, Shirou studied the condition of both fighters as he let Arondlight and Rule Breaker fade back into the void.

Things were not looking good for the elderly Sandaime.

Orochimaru was laughing as he dodged Hiruzen's ever increasingly desperate blows.

The snake-like man wielded a blade in his left hand which he used to parry Hiruzen's most powerful attacks while dodging the rest.

Before he could launch a counter-attack, Shirou propelled himself towards the two combatants intercepting a jab aimed at Hiruzen's shoulder.

Eyeing the blade, Shirou quickly traced the blade's history mentally.

_Kusanagi no Tsurugi – a member of the Three Imperial Regalia of the Land of Fire. As a legendary blade, it has painted its place in history with the blood of its user's enemies. Its current owner, Orochimaru, favors a serpentine style of combat that utilizes the blade's double-edged nature to keep enemies at a distance._

Sending a burst of prana to his legs, Shirou purposely closed the distance between himself and Orochimaru negating the advantage of Kusanagi's longer reach.

Instantaneously tracing his favored twin blades, Kanshou and Bakuya, Shirou delivered two sweeping cuts at Orochimaru.

The traitorous Sannin dodged by contorting his body at painful angles and returned a blow with Kusanagi. However, Hiruzen had taken advantage of the distraction to attack Orochimaru from behind taking him for surprise.

Hiruzen's armored fist slammed into Orochimaru's back sending the Sannin tumbling across the roof.

Gasping for breath, Orochimaru desperately parried Shirou's follow-up strike with Bakuya.

The Snake Sannin evaluated his two opponents before coming to a split decision.

"I think I'll end our little battle here for today", rasped Orochimaru.

The pale man swept his eyes over the burning village in the background.

"Soon enough, I'll be back to finish what I've started" he spat, "For now, I'm leaving."

Orochimaru called to the shinobi maintaining the purple barrier encapsulating their battle. At his command, his servants released the barrier and the group began retreating backwards.

Shirou made a move to follow, but Hiruzen held up his hand tiredly.

"We need you more here. Please, if you will, we need help pushing the remaining foreign forces out of the village walls."

Nodding in acquiescence, Shirou picked up his blades once more and moved to join the waning battle below.

oOoOoOo

_Three days later._

Shirou adjusted his cooking apron as a duo of eggs sizzled in the cast-iron pan in front of him.

It had been three days since Konoha had successfully repelled the Sand-Sound invasion, though it had come at a heavy price. In the aftermath, the Sandaime had offered Shirou a room at the Sarutobi Compound while everything settled down in the village. Without need to work or look for a place to stay, these last few days had left Shirou looking for a way to occupy his newly found free time.

Using a controlled flick of his wrist, Shirou flipped the eggs revealing a perfectly-browned underside; satisfied with the coloring, he began seasoning a batch of trout he was grilling on the side. He then switched his attention to a saucepan of bubbling water in front of him that he was planning to make miso out of.

Adding a small bowl of dashi into the water, Shirou began gently stirring the saucepan. After the dashi had mixed in, he dissolved two spoons of miso paste into the soup and reduced the stove to a medium heat while gently whisking. While the soup simmered, he finished the dish with some delicately sliced tofu garnished with a sprinkle of green onion.

Sampling a small spoon of broth, Shirou gave a contented sigh as the rich flavors of the miso warmed his taste buds.

"Aniki! Are you cooking again?"

Shirou turned his head as he watched an eight-year old Sarutobi Konohamaru ran into the kitchen chasing the delicious aromas emanating from the stove.

Shirou smiled as he caught the young boy by his shirt just as he was about to trip on his own scarf.

"Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes, Kono, why don't you set the plates and call your grandfather and uncle."

"Gotcha, Aniki!" responded Konohamaru as he raced from the kitchen to find the more lethargic members of the Sarutobi clan.

Just as Shirou finished plating the eggs and grilled fish while portioning the soup, Konohamaru returned dragging Asuma and Hiruzen into the kitchen by the hem of their shirts.

"Looks amazing as always, Shirou-san", yawned Asuma as he stretched his arms behind his back.

"Breakfast is always much appreciated, Shirou", smiled Hiruzen as he settled down to sample the soup.

After just one spoon, he gave a content sigh as Asuma and Konohamaru began piling eggs on top of their freshly steamed rice.

With a full mouth of rice, Konohamaru turned to Shirou, "Mmmmh ish really good!"

At a more sedate pace, Asuma also munched away happily, "Are you sure we can't hire you to stay here and become our chef?"

Shirou shook his head with a small smile on his face as he helped himself to a skewer of grilled fish.

"I like to imagine that I was a chef in a parallel universe…" responded Shirou as if sharing an inside joke.

With his food quickly decimated, Konohamaru got up waving at the adults in the room, "I gotta go now! I promised Moegi and Udon that I'd meet them at the park!" he said before running off excitedly.

Hiruzen waved him goodbye while pouring himself a fresh cup of green tea.

Asuma also brushed off his pants and stood up, "I've planned to meet my genin team at the training ground. I'll catch you two later." he said before sidling out of the room after Konohamaru.

Turning to the remaining person in the room, Hiruzen's expression turned more serious.

"Shirou, we need to talk."

Shirou put down his chopsticks and looked over at Hiruzen indicating that the man had his full attention.

"I know you had explained earlier that you aren't from around here, so I don't know how much you know about the political landscape of the Elemental Nations", started Hiruzen.

"Since the end of the Third Shinobi War, peace has been resting on a knife's edge between the five major hidden villages. Even then, reports have indicated that Iwagakure still harbors a large militant faction whilst Kumogakure has continually expanded their own territory through campaigns encroaching upon smaller border nations. I worry that the slightest spark could potentially trigger the fragile balance of power we have right now."

Shirou hummed worriedly, "What's specifically worrying you, Hiruzen?"

Hiruzen gave a tired sigh, "I've just received an update from my spymaster on Orochimaru's latest movements. He was seen in the Land of Grass hosting a delegation of Iwa shinobi. Inside reports say that he's been actively selling both weapons and information in return for an alliance with Iwagakure."

"Do you think that he can convince Iwa to acquiesce with his desire to attack Konoha in open war?" queried Shirou worriedly.

"The militant faction in Iwa has been gaining political power in recent years. They've always held an undying grudge against Konoha for their defeat in the Third Shinobi War, which spawned from their vendetta against our late Yondaime Hokage. I can only hope that the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki of the Twin Scales, is a more rational man than his advisors…"

Shirou bowed his head, "Then we can only hope this Onoki of the Twin Scales can hold back the brewing storm. If it comes to war between two great nations, then the land will be painted red in the blood of both shinobi and innocents."

Hiruzen was silent as he turned to look at the rising sun in the distance.

Shirou took a seat beside the aged man gripping him on the shoulder.

"I may not be a shinobi, but I will stand with you to face of the coming storm. The Throne of Heroes sent me here for a reason; you don't need to carry this heavy burden by yourself anymore."

Hiruzen nodded in appreciation as the two men sat in silence basking in the gentle morning sun from the gardens of the Sarutobi Compound.

Little did they know, it would be the last peaceful day that either would have for a long time.

* * *

End of Chapter 1.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Welcome back to the second installment of Fate Incarnate! Thanks for all of the positive feedback so far, it really inspires me to write more! As I'm sure you have noticed, I've chosen to create a post-UBW Shirou who eventually ascended to the Throne of Heroes after his final journey in life. In this alternate fate, Shirou's character has diverged from the servant EMIYA though elements of that incarnation still definitely exist if you dig a bit deeper...  
**

oOoOoOo

Onoki inspected the report that his agents from the Land of Grass had delivered back to Iwagakure. He had sent a team of his most trusted Jounin to meet with Orochimaru of the Sannin who claimed to have information directly pertinent to Iwa's interests.

He unfurled the scroll checking the unbroken wax seal. Pushing some of his ever-accumulating paperwork off of his desk, he broke the seal and opened the scroll.

The message contained one hastily scribbled sentence.

_Konoha has hidden the son of Namikaze Minato from us for twelve years – the child is the current vessel of the Nine-Tailed Fox._

Attached to the message were a string of photographs depicting a boy who looked to be a carbon copy of the reviled Namikaze.

Onoki could only rub his eyes as he could feel the headache building behind his eyes. Quelling the bitter feelings in his heart, he struggled to remain calm as he stared into the hauntingly familiar visage of his greatest enemy.

Namikaze Minato had single-handedly turned the war on the Iwa-Konoha front in the Third Shinobi War. As the only shinobi to ever receive the Rank SS designation, he had carved his name into history on the flesh of Iwa shinobi. With a body-count in the thousands, there was not a single family in Iwa who had not lost someone to Konoha's Yellow Flash.

Onoki himself had lost his eldest son in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge which was the pivotal battle in breaking Iwa's hold on their western border. At Kannabi Bridge, Namikaze Minato had single-handedly slaughtered every active shinobi wearing an Iwa headband without exception. At the time of his death, Onoki's son had just celebrated his fourteenth birthday at home two weeks prior.

Onoki turned to look at the sole framed photograph he had on his desk. It was the last picture he had of his smiling family, his wife and two sons, before the war had torn them apart. He could feel the bitter feelings from old wounds re-open as he looked into the faded photograph where he was proudly ruffling his elder son's hair while wrapping his arms around the younger's shoulders.

Konoha had praised Namikaze as a hero for his actions… They had memorialized him into history as a selfless leader who had brought peace to the Great Nations by ending the Third Shinobi War. They had elected him to their highest station as they draped honor after honor on the man for his war crimes.

Onoki crushed the message into his hand unconsciously grinding it to dust with his bloodline limit. He had come to his decision finally.

Summoning his secretary, he quietly commanded,

"Assemble the Council of War; tell them there is some new information that must be brought to their attention."

oOoOoOo

Shirou knocked on the door of the Hokage's office as he clasped a summons message in his left hand,

"Come in" came the muffled voice of the Sandaime from behind the door.

The office was ovular in shape, though it was difficult for Shirou to ascertain with amount of paperwork piled against the walls. Sitting behind a magnificent mahogany desk was the Hokage himself who was dressed in his traditional ceremonial outfit.

"You asked for me?" began Shirou.

Hiruzen raised his head from the scroll he was reading and locked eyes with Shirou. No longer was this the elderly grandfather that Shirou had shared breakfast with earlier, no, the man in front of Shirou was now Konoha's Sandaime Hokage who had commanded the most powerful military force in the Elemental Nations for nigh five decades.

"I have a request for you. While you are not a formal shinobi of Konoha, I've decided to have you serve as an independent contractor for the Hokage office. Naturally, you're free to accept or decline any request at your own discretion."

Shirou nodded his understanding.

"Earlier this morning, my scouts have sent a report confirming that Yakushi Kabuto, a known affiliate of Orochimaru, has been sighted in the city of Tanzaku Gai just north of Konoha. My resources are stretched too thin right now to investigate Kabuto's activity so I was hoping to send you there instead. If you accept the mission, I have a small team of shinobi who can take you to Tanzaku Gai, although their objective concerns a separate matter."

Shirou indicated his agreement by nodding once again.

At that moment, a tall white-haired man barged into the room waving to the Hokage with grin on his face.

"Heya Sensei! You wouldn't believe who I saw at the hot springs today…", began the strangely dressed newcomer as he smiled lecherously.

He paused as he noticed Shirou's presence in the room dropping his expression to a contemplative frown.

"So is this the elusive red swordsman that you've been telling me about?" he asked as his eyes evaluated Shirou's form.

Shirou bowed his head and introduced himself, "Emiya Shirou at your service, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. And you would be?"

The white-haired man only stared quizzically at the bowing red-head as if shocked that he had to introduce himself. Suddenly, he grinned once again as he began hopping on one foot while waving his arms in manner reminiscent to Kabuki theatre.

"Allow me to regale you of my true identity… I am the man who is known around the elemental nations for his gallant charm! The man who has won the hearts of women from beyond the seven seas and back again! The man who protects Konoha's lofty gates and guards her elderly Hokage! I AM JIRAIYAAA"

Shirou could only deadpan at the now introduced Jiraiya who continued hopping around the office on one foot grinning like an idiot.

In the background, Hiruzen sunk into his chair as he rubbed his temples at the middle-aged man's antics, all sense of decorum having evaporated instantly.

"Shirou, meet my last loyal student, Jiraiya of the Sannin."

oOoOoOo

Shirou trailed behind Jiraiya as the two strolled through Konoha's streets. For such a supposed legendary ninja, the Toad Sannin had quite a childish demeanor the majority of the time.

"So I'm supposed to take you to Tanzaku Gai, eh?", asked Jiraiya, "Is the old man afraid that you're going to get lost or something – it's literally a short walk north of here."

"Let's just say I'm not really from around these parts", hummed Shirou.

Jiraiya stopped and turned to look at Shirou more curiously.

"Then where exactly are you from?"

Shirou smiled at the white-haired man, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you anyways."

Jiraiya pouted as he turned around and continued walking in his previously determined direction.

Shirou took advantage of the leisurely stroll to look around and absorb the general ambience of life in Konoha.

The street had a lively sort of atmosphere as rowdy children ran in between shouting street vendors who were selling everything ranging from fine silks to fresh pineapples. To the sides of the road, pedestrians frequently struck up conversations with one another as they went about their afternoon activities. From above, the afternoon sun gently reflected off of the well-maintained sidewalks basking the marketplace in a warm glow.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" asked Jiraiya with a serious expression, snapping Shirou out of his thoughts.

Shirou only nodded in agreement as he gave a small smile at the bustling street around them.

"Sometimes when I lose sight of the path I'm walking, I think back to moments like this to remember what it is that I'm fighting for. Being a mercenary isn't half the glamor and glory that civilians think it to be – more often than not, we are the necessary shadows that shield mankind from the monsters who prowl the night. In our profession, the strongest ones always walk a fine line between shadow and darkness."

The two men came to a stop at a large multi-story building at the end of the street.

Painted onto the front of the enormous double doors was a red cross denoting the facility's purpose. Emblazoned across the front of the building were the words:

_**Konoha General Hospital**_

Shirou followed Jiraiya into the building as they made their way to the receptionist's desk.

"What room is Uzumaki Naruto in?" Jiraiya asked the clerk.

"Room 117, just go down the hallway and it'll be on your left."

The hallway was painted a drab color of grey that added to the sanitary atmosphere of the hospital. The hallway was silent except for the faint beeping sounds from machinery in adjacent rooms that were draped with curtains affording the patients privacy from people walking past.

"So why are we here", asked the redhead as he turned to Jiraiya.

"We're here to collect the last member of our little team of three. Then, it's off to Tanzaku Gai!" responded Jiraiya.

Ducking the curtain into Room 117, Shirou was greeted with a young teen swaddled in bandages with a grumpy expression on his face. Poking out of his dressing were tufts of blonde hair that spiked upwards as if constantly in a state of static shock.

When Jiraiya entered the room, the blonde instantly sprang to life.

"Pervy Sage, you've gotta get me outta here, please! I swear I'm already all healed 'ttebayo!" yelped the bandaged teen as he latched onto Jiraiya's leg in desperation.

Gripping the kid by his forehead, Jiraiya plucked his new attachment off of his leg and nonchalantly tossed the blonde back onto his hospital bed.

"Naruto, meet Shirou. Shirou, meet Naruto", introduced the Toad Sannin.

Turning to Shirou, he continued, "This kid here is probably the most hyperactive brat you'll meet in your entire life. I'd pawn him off on you, but I'm kinda stuck with him."

Naruto poked his tongue out at Jiraiya, "Yeah, well I think Shirou over there looks way cooler than you anyways. At least, he would probably teach me something instead of perving on women all day."

"HEY! Take that back, you ungrateful brat, I taught you the Summoning Jutsu, didn't I?" whined Jiraiya childishly as he stuck his finger in front of Naruto's face.

Naruto ignored his sensei in favor of scampering up to Shirou eyeing him curiously.

"Gee, that's some really cool mesh armor! Where can I get some in the color orange? What type of weapons do you use? Are we going on a mission together? Can you teach me a new Jutsu? How do –" the blonde was only cutoff as Jiraiya bopped him on the top of his head.

Shirou laughed as he knelt down to smile at Naruto.

"How about I tell you on the way to Tanzaku Gai? It looks like we'll be going on a little adventure."

oOoOoOo

The gravel crunched under Shirou's sandals, the weight of his camping equipment weighing heavily on the redhead's shoulders.

The Merchant's Road was a north-winding trade path that stretched across the Land of Fire connecting Konoha with the capital city of Mashiyama City. Located a leisurely two-day travel from Konoha was the city of Tanzaku Gai, the trio's current destination.

Around them, the lush forests sprawled for miles in every direction housing small fauna who nested in the foliage of the enormous trees that provided shade from the harsh afternoon sun. Shirou grimaced as he swatted at the last in a long line of many mosquitoes that had visited him today. In a last ditch effort, he briefly flared his magic circuits to reinforce his skin making himself immune to the pesky annoyances.

"WHOA, what was that when your skin glowed slightly?" shouted Naruto as he bounded up to fall in line with Shirou.

They had been on the road for a full day now, yet Naruto was still just as energetic as the minute they had set out from Konoha.

"I can't use chakra like you and Jiraiya. Instead, I have to fight with a different energy form called prana, which seems to be a distant cousin of the chakra that shinobi use."

"That's so cool!" replied Naruto with stars in his eyes. "What can you do with prana?"

"Well, as a third-rate magus, I'm really only able to cast two types of spells: Reinforcement and Projection. For Reinforcement, it's literally as simple as it sounds – I can infuse prana into external objects or my own body to make them more durable. Meanwhile, Projection is a little more complicated – in essence, it's a form of gradiation air that lets you materialize any object you can visualize in your mind's eye."

"That's SO COOOL!" exclaimed Naruto, "You gotta teach me how to do this projection thingy too, like–"

His sentence was cut off as Jiraiya bopped the excitable blonde on the head.

"Weren't you listening to anything Shirou was saying, ya brat? It won't work with chakra since his techniques depend on only prana."

"_Though this Projection ability sounds remarkably similar to the legendary Sage of Six Path's Creation of All Things technique", mused Jiraiya to himself._

Seeing Naruto's disappointed expression, Jiraiya waved his hand in front of the blonde.

"I guess I could teach you a new jutsu though… if you ask me nicely", sniggered Jiyaiya.

Naruto instantly perked up and dived onto the middle-aged man clinging to his leg.

"Please, please, please, please Pervy Sage, teach me something new!" begged the blonde.

Jiraiya grumbled something about stupid nicknames before tossing the blonde into a nearby bush.

"Alright kid, you asked for it. You're lucky that the legendary Jiraiya himself has deigned to teach you a technique! Maybe this will teach you to show some respect to your Sensei…"

Shirou could only stare at the two children in front of him; even if the white-haired one just happened to be fifty years older than the blonde.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya had led the trio over to a clearing on the side of the road. Flattening the grass beneath him as he sat, Jiraiya crouched onto the ground before raising an empty hand, palm turned upwards.

"Before we begin, I figured a little demonstration is in order since kids like you seem to like this sort of thing."

Naruto stared wide-eyed at Jiraiya's previously empty palm where a bright blue ball of compressed chakra had swirled into existence humming quietly.

**Rasengan!**

The white-haired man slammed the blue sphere into the ground beneath him tossing layers of dirt and rock into the air. The blue sphere emitted a metallic noise as it grinded against the sediment pulverizing rock into dust. Satisfied with the demonstration, Jiraiya dismissed the technique leaving Shirou to marvel at the counter-clockwise spiral impression left in the bedrock.

"ALL RIGHT, I'm all fire up 'ttebayo!" crowed Naruto. "How do I blow up rocks too?"

Jiraiya smirked and took out a package of water balloons from his pocket.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, kid. The first step is to fill these up with water and learn to control your chakra into a spinning movement within the balloon."

Naruto scampered forward and began preparing the balloons for practice while Jiraiya patted out a flat portion of grass where he proceeded to plop down for a mid-afternoon nap.

Shirou gave an amused smile at their antics before reaching into his bag to unpack some camping supplies for the night.

"I'll be around looking for firewood and some small game if you need me, Naruto", called Shirou before he also squatted down to begin preparing a fire pit from a stack of stones that Jiraiya had upturned during his demonstration.

The blonde was already too busy stubbornly staring at his balloon to give a response.

oOoOoOo

The next morning, the well-rested trio packed up their camping supplies before stamping out their campfire and continuing onwards to their last stretch of travel.

As the walls of Tanzaku Gai came into view, Shirou couldn't help but marvel the sight of the sprawling city. Enormous stone walls stretched as far as the eye could see while the tops of beautiful pagodas peeked over the top of the stone structures.

Naruto was a bit more vocal in his amazement as he ran forwards to the newly sighted city.

"I've never seen anything like this before! Tanzaku Gai is so huge!"

As they neared the entrance gates, a relaxed pair of guards nodded the group through upon seeing Jiraiya. Walked through the whitewashed stone gates, Shirou was hit by a myriad of color as he entered the city proper.

Jiraiya chuckled at Shirou's stupefied expression, "Tanzaku Gai makes a majority of its annual revenue off of the tourism industry. It's the most popular gambling den in the entire Land of Fire. Anyways, now that we're here, I'll leave you to your little mission; Naruto and I here will be otherwise occupied trying to track down my old teammate Tsunade."

Shirou bowed goodbye to the colorful duo before pulling a cloak over his face and disappearing into the crowd. He removed the mission scroll he received back in Konoha and reread the details memorizing the attached photo of Yakushi Kabuto.

Emiya Shirou had a rat to catch, one that seemed to be hiding in the city's casino district if the reports were to believed. He double-checked the file committing the name of the building that Kabuto was last sighted in before setting off to make preparations for the coming night.

oOoOoOo

Later that evening, Shirou arrived at his target location – The Oriental Pearl. An opulent six-layer pagoda, The Oriental Pearl had been originally been a religious shrine before the wealthy Hozuki Family had purchased the property renovating it into a casino. It was the perfect place for Shirou to start as the Hozuki's were notorious for being mobbed up to their necks in underworld contacts and mercenaries to protect their gambling establishments.

Dressed in a well-fitted tuxedo, Shirou had opted to forego his usual red-mesh armor in favor for more formal attire. After being ushered into the casino by a pair of bouncers at the door, he took a cursory glance at the first floor of the pagoda taking in his surroundings.

The room's vaulted ceilings gave the place a spacious feeling even though hundreds of people were crowded around various tables and games around the room. The walls were decorated in gold leafing which accentuated the polished mahogany base that caught the glimmer of the enormous diamond chandelier hanging in the center of the room.

"_Well, they've certainly spared no expense", mused Shirou to himself._

His attention was drawn to the other side of the room where he glimpsed a familiar duo of white and orange talking to a buxom blonde woman dressed in a dark green overcoat. He watched as the conversation seemed to grow heated as Naruto jumped on the table in front of the woman while Jiraiya attempted to hold the thirteen year-old back from clobbering her.

Shirou laughed at Naruto's antics quietly before tearing his attention away from the group and refocusing on his own task at hand.

Based on his information, Yakushi Kabuto was last sighted on the sixth floor of the pagoda dining with the Kozuki family's eldest son, Kyoshiro.

Having memorized the interior structure of the building, Shirou exited the casino back into the busy streets of Tanzaku Gai. He began walking around the pagoda assessing the structure as an idea began to form in his head.

At the back of the building, the night was quiet as Shirou silently sidled against the wall out of sight of the passing pedestrians on the opposite side of the pagoda. Tracing his favored twin blades, he reinforced his arms before stabbing Kanshou into the building's wall at a point a few feet above his head.

Taking a deep breath, he gripped Kanshou tightly as he lifted himself off the ground by using the blade as a handhold. He gently began rocking back and forth generating further momentum as he hung onto Kanshou. In a feat of acrobatic dexterity, Shirou pulled himself upwards towards Kanshou and used his free hand to sink his other blade, Bakuya, into the wall a few feet above Kanshou. Now gripping Bakuya, he wiggled Kanshou free and began to repeat the process as he slowly scaled the building wall.

For a reinforced magus, it was easy work scaling the six floors of the pagoda. Reaching the end of the climb, Shirou sidled against the outside of a window on the sixth floor. Bracing himself for combat, he swept into the room through the window holding his twin blades in a defensive position.

Inside the room, two guards startled at their sudden intruder attempting to draw their blades. Without missing a beat, Shirou sped forwards planting a foot into the first guard using him as a springboard to deliver a backhanded blow to the second's guards head using the blunt handle of Bakuya.

The second guard dropped unconscious as Shirou turned back to the first guard who was on the floor groaning. With a blunt kick to the head, Shirou quickly silenced the first guard too.

Dragging the two unconscious men to the corner of the room, Shirou listened quietly for other enemy movement. Satisfied that he hadn't been discovered yet, he began removing the uniform from the guard more similar to him in size. Donning the unconscious man's uniform, Shirou walked out into the hallway with his new disguise.

Activating his magic circuits, Shirou reached out with his prana to sense the location of people around him using a basic tracking spell. Sensing a civilian presence in the central room, he briskly walked towards the area while keeping his guard visor low as he passed other patrolling guards.

Forgoing any pretense of disguise, Shirou marched into the room locking the door behind him which startled a portly civilian man inside who was finishing the last of what looked to be a lavish three-course meal.

Shirou eyed the slowly reddening man whose finely tailored silks had the green crest of the Kozuki family boldly emblazoned across the front.

The portly noble opened his mouth in anger, "I don't remember hiring a guard impudent enough to interrupt me inside of my own private quarters, why I ought to have you-."

His tirade was interrupted as Shirou crossed the room grabbing the blustering man by his neck pinning him against the wall.

"Look, I don't want to hurt anyone here, so let's make this easy for everyone", began Shirou as he stared into the eyes of the slowly purpling man.

He wrinkled his nose in disgust as the characteristic stench of urine wafted from the man who had soiled himself in terror.

Loosening the pressure on the man's throat to allow him to speak, Shirou asked his first question.

"What do you know of Yakushi Kabuto?"

"N-n-nothing, sir" wheezed the portly man.

Shirou delivered a sharp punch into the man's generous gut.

The man cried out in pain as he burst into tears.

"O-ok, please enough!" he cried, "I had a meeting with him yesterday. It was just a meeting, I swear!"

Shirou nodded and continued, "Why were you meeting with Kabuto?"

The groveling man whimpered as Shirou raised his fist again.

"H-he asked me to smuggle some contraband poisons into the Land of Grass using my family's contacts. He requested me to transport a particularly nasty category of nerve toxins for him – the type that the Great Nations had outlawed due to their applications in human torture."

Shirou narrowed his eyes at the lavishly dressed noble.

"What else do you smuggle for Yakushi Kabuto?"

His captive's eyes grew even wider as he began to struggle against Shirou's hold uselessly.

Shirou repeated his question enunciating each word with a bruising blow to the man's ribcage.

"H-h-humans usually", wheezed the sobbing noble, "the slave trade while illegal in the Land of Fire is permitted in the Land of Grass…"

Shirou's eyed the crying man in disgust.

"Where can I find Yakushi Kabuto now?"

"I-I-I don't know… All he mentioned was that he would be in town for another few days for a meeting with The Merchant."

Perking up at the new information, Shirou queried, "The Merchant?"

"Yes, sir. No one around here knows his real name, so everyone just calls him by his moniker. He's the principal backer of organized crime in the area although he rarely stops by in town personally. His networks spans the entire Elemental Nations, and everyone knows that with enough money, you can buy almost anything you want from The Merchant, whether it be weapons, drugs, or even human flesh."

Shirou dropped his captive to the floor giving the man a disgusted look. Out of questions for the noble, he rammed Kanshou and Bakuya into the man's chest giving him a painless death.

Wiping the blood off of his blades, Shirou left the room pondering the new information he had received.

"_The Merchant… it seems like things are getting more complicated by the moment."_

oOoOoOo

Jiraiya ducked into the small bar spotting Tsunade's signature green coat immediately.

Taking a seat next to her, he gestured to the bartender for a bottle of sake and some saucers.

"You're awfully difficult to find, you know?" mused Jiraiya.

"Like I told you earlier, I'm not coming back to that damned village", grumbled Tsunade.

"Konoha needs you Tsunade. Every time you're out here drinking your life away, it's Konoha that pays the bill."

The bartender returned with the requested bottle prompting Jiraiya to tip the man while pouring out two saucers of sake.

Tsunade moodily sipped her drink.

"There's nothing left for me there, Jiraiya. Everyone I've cared about has died, and everything I've cared about has died with them."

Jiraiya shook his head sadly, "Then why not protect Konoha in their memory? What would Dan and Nawaki think if they saw you now?"

Tsunade flushed angrily, "Don't presume to lecture me on this, Jiraiya. Don't pretend to know what Dan and Nawaki cherished most."

"You're not the only person to have ever lost people, Tsunade." growled Jiraiya, "You're just the only one who has cast off the chains of duty and run away from responsibility."

Tsunade made a move to get up and leave, but Jiraiya gave a heavy sigh and gently grasped her wrist before she turned to leave.

"I understand what it's like to lose the people who you love too. And I understand how it feels to despise the village that they gave their lives for – probably more than anyone else – I understand."

Jiraiya swirled his sake cup with a haunted look before continuing.

"The man who inspired me to become a shinobi was actually my father. You see, back then, Konoha's shinobi core was even more dominated by its major clans than it is today – my father was one of the first civilian-born shinobi to join the core.

As a warrior, he never was the strongest – a career chunnin at best – not that it mattered to me back then. Above everything else, I looked up to him for chasing his dream in a profession that people believed to be impossible for him.

Those 'noble' clans never let him forget it either. He was mocked by his own comrades, often by the ones who he trained with, ate with, and lived with every day. They ridiculed his training efforts and the arduous hours that he put in just to learn basics that are spoon-fed clan born shinobi from the day that they can walk. Yet my father never complained – he told me that their attitudes would change in time, that they would one day put aside their differences to defend the Land of Fire together as fellow Konoha shinobi.

That day came sooner than anyone expected with the outbreak of the First Shinobi War. Konoha needed every able-bodied soldier she could field, so my father was promoted to the rank of Chunnin and deployed to the western border where fighting with Iwa was the fiercest. He fought loyally for Konoha for fourteen months surviving countless battles with his battalion who quickly became famous back at home for their exploits.

Apparently, they were also famous enough for Iwa to start taking notice too which led to the team being surrounded and ambushed at Takigawa Castle, a key stronghold on the western front. Overwhelmed by superior numbers, they sieged the stronghold trapping the Konoha battalion inside. As supplies had started to run low, my father's team began to get more and more desperate which led to their final gambit for freedom – a midnight break across the border back to safety.

To protect the battalion's chain of command, my father was ordered to switch uniforms with a squadron captain a few ranks his senior in hopes of misleading the enemy. As for the retreat itself, their team actually made it just in sight of the Konoha border before they were spotted and pursued by enemy forces.

With the team so close to the border, Iwa's forces only had time to capture a few members before they crossed the border. Naturally, they targeted the squadron captains first which meant my father was first in the line of fire. In the subsequent scramble, his capture bought the time the rest of his team needed to cross the western border back into safety. Fortunately, Iwa kept my father alive as it was standard procedure to ransom officers back then; the Konoha Shinobi Core had received a requested sum for my father's safe return a few days later.

Yet my father's battalion simply laughed at the demand refusing to provide the named sum. They wasted no time informing Iwa that their 'highly-important' prisoner of war was nothing more than a measly chunnin. Humiliated and embarrassed, the Tsuchikage promptly executed my father in retaliation.

Even in death, his own teammates still mocked him. The man had given his life for them, and in return, my father was given nothing more than an empty coffin and an unmarked tombstone. His battalion had refused to nominate a civilian-born shinobi to be buried with the military honors traditionally afforded to shinobi who had distinguished themselves in service to their country. His own squad captain had been the one to spread the tale of the silly civilian who got himself killed while pretending to be a real shinobi."

Tsunade was quiet as Jiraiya finished his recollection. The duo sat silently, in stark contrast to the busy bar around them, bustling with the activity of customers and serving staff.

Shifting uncomfortably in her chair, Tsunade turned to look Jiraiya in the eye.

"Then why do you still protect the people who had turned their back on you so long ago?"

Jiraiya finished the remainder of his sake cup, relishing the smooth burn of the alcohol as it went down.

He called to the bartender to bring another bottle before addressing Tsunade.

"Because I fight for an ideal – it isn't something that can just fade away and die like you or me – I fight for something much more enduring. Fifty years ago, my father too fought for his ideals. And fifty years ago, my father died for his ideals.

Every day of my youth, I spent training to prove my father didn't die for an empty cause. I trained until my hands bled to prove that a person's birth doesn't determine their worth as a shinobi. I trained until my muscles tore to challenge the beliefs of the Konoha people, to open their minds to the future that my father envisioned.

When I was placed on a team with the Senju Princess and the genius Orochimaru, I was actually ecstatic, believe it or not. To me, it was my chance to prove that I could stand as equals to such naturally-gifted shinobi and kunoichi. And more important than anything else, I had a squad leader in Sarutobi Hiruzen, who always held me to the same standard as my prodigious teammates – he was the first to believe in me at a time when no one else did.

And with time, while more and more people began to recognize me, it was Sensei's initial push that always meant the most to me. You know, on the day that he was coroneted as Hokage, he took me to Konoha's Memorial Stone. And his first official act as the Sandaime Hokage of Konoha was to carve my father's name into the Stone recognizing his act of valor posthumously. He told me that he believed in Konoha's capacity to change, that it was already beginning to change as a new generation of shinobi grew up on stories of Konoha's legendary Sannin: the Senju Princess Tsunade, the natural genius Orochimaru, and the Toad Sage Jiraiya."

Tsunade smiled fondly at the old memories. She set down her sake cup and gently admitted, "But it wasn't the celebrated Senju princess nor the mad genius that the people still remember today – no – it was the Toad Sage Jiraiya whose story resonated in their hearts the most; a man who had pulled himself up from nothing to become one of Konoha's greatest soldiers in her hour of need."

Tsunade's expression turned melancholic as she offered some self-introspection.

"And look at the rest of the Sannin now. With their vaunted genius having spiraled into madness, and their beloved Princess having abandoned them without word, the only one who has protected them all of these years is the same kid they made fun of so many decades ago…"

Jiraiya shook his head sadly, "It doesn't have to be that way, Tsunade, you can come back – there will always be a home for you in Konoha."

The duo settled into another silence as Tsunade finished the last of the sake between them.

"I'll think about it… And Jiraiya – thank you – I've honestly really missed seeing you after all of this time", she replied softly.

Tsunade fished some ryo out of her pockets, placed it on the counter, and gave Jiraiya's shoulder gentle squeeze before getting up from her chair.

Bidding her goodbye, Jiraiya gave a nostalgic smile as her silhouette slowly disappeared into the night-time crowds of Tanzaku Gai.

oOoOoOo

_**Unspecified Location, Tanzaku Gai**_

A nervous servant delivered a neatly packaged messenger scroll to her master who was currently seated at the head of a polished mahogany desk.

Wary of her master's temperament, the servant quickly backed away trying to make herself as small as possible against the wall of the room.

The man at the desk slowly unraveled the message, his emerald-green eyes scanning the writing.

_Hozuki Kyoshiro is dead. Our deal is off until I find a new smuggler.  
-Kabuto_

Cold, unadulterated rage coursed through the cloaked man as he smashed his fist through the vintage table in front of him.

_Who would dare interfere with his business in Tanzaku Gai?_

He was distracted from his thoughts as the servant girl in the corner of the room let out a whimper of fear.

Anger clouding his mind, he let loose a knot of black sinewy tendrils upon the servant, spearing her through the chest and rending her flesh apart.

Sighing in release, the man felt a wave of calm wash over him as he watched the dying girl take her last breaths while she bled out on the floor.

In his now more controlled state of mind, he noticed a photograph clipped to the back of the message he had received. He curiously eyed the image of his client's murderer.

_A man he had never seen before; Red of hair, roughly six feet tall, and bronze colored eyes, he was holding a set of twin set of black and white blades loosely. _

Bloodlust resurging, the emerald-eyed man smiled as he came to a decision.

_Yes, he would make a fine example out of his newfound prey._

* * *

**End of Chapter 2.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's the third installment of Fate Incarnate! I'll keep the author's note short and sweet this time – I hope you all enjoy reading this chapter as much as I did writing it.**

* * *

oOoOoOo

Shirou sat in the back of a ramen bar as he waited in anticipation for his food to arrive. The small restaurant had a homely feel – the wooden benches were worn, but clearly well-maintained and the atmosphere was lively as the old ramen chef chatted with his regular customers behind the bar.

Shirou smiled in thanks as the old man pushed a steaming bowl of ramen towards the redhead.

"One bowl of white tonkotsu, lightly salted with an extra egg on the house"

The aroma was absolutely intoxicating – Shirou could smell the rich blend of pork bone broth mixed with a hint of onion and ground white pepper. Taking a spoon of broth, he closed his eyes as he took his first sampling.

The broth tasted even better than it smelled – the flavor was a perfect balance of a hearty pork flavor accentuated by aromatics preventing the dish from being too overwhelming. Sighing in contentment, Shirou split the soft-boiled egg across his noodles letting the runny yolk condense on the firm noodles before taking a generous portion of noodles in his wooden chopsticks.

As he was about to bring the noodles up to his mouth for a bite, he heard a commotion at the entrance of the stand. Shirou put down his chopsticks and craned his neck to get a better look at what was going on.

He could see three men gesturing to the elderly ramen chef, one them waving what looked to be a poster with someone's photograph on it. All three of the men were dressed in dark clothing, and two of them carried viciously curved knives at their belt. Complete with unkempt hair and yellow teeth, Shirou had seen their ilk before in the underbelly of every major city.

The tallest thug demanded that the ramen chef move out of the way.

"Someone far more important than either of us is looking for this man", the thug pointed at the poster gripped in his hand, "and I swear I saw him come into this shop. If you don't want any trouble, then you better let us in."

The elderly chef looked nervous as he eyed the weapons on the intruder's belts.

"Just please don't ransack my store; it's honestly all I have left."

Reinforcing his eyesight, Shirou caught a glimpse of the poster that the first man was waving and startled in surprise when he recognized himself plastered across the front.

"_I guess someone's not happy that I killed their Hozuki friend."_

Sighing in frustration over his ruined meal, he got up from his barstool drawing the attention of the three thugs.

Seeing Shirou's unique shade of red-hair, the three men let out brief shouts and started backwards while struggling to draw their knives.

Watching the men in front of him, Shirou frowned to himself as he evaluated his opponents – the first man's stance was wide open as he shakily gripped his knife with both hands while the second man had two knives out in a pose oddly reminiscent of something Shirou had seen once before in a theatre performance. Meanwhile, their leader stood further back with a self-satisfied smirk as he stared at his 'cornered' target.

"The Merchant has over fifty men searchin' for ya out in the city tonight", drawled the tallest thug, "I'm not sure what you did to piss 'im off, but I'm sure glad that I'm not you."

"_I wonder if they actually work for The Merchant", mused Shirou, "that would certainly make finding him much easier…"_

The rightmost thug waved a knife at the customers, "Look, we don't want no trouble – just come quietly and we won't have to break this little shop to pieces."

Shirou looked around at the cowering customers who had hidden themselves under their tables before letting out a mock sigh and raising his hands behind his neck.

"Alright – you win; I surrender", intoned Shirou.

The two thugs holding knives gave an audible exhale of relief as they awkwardly re-sheathed their weapons. The three men quickly surrounded Shirou and slipped a pair of iron handcuffs around his wrists. Prodding him in the back, they attempted to march him out the shop, but gave up after Shirou just continued to just walk at his own pace.

They walked in silence as the three thugs led Shirou through a confusing set of back alleyways bringing the group in front of what looked to be an abandoned warehouse. Taking a key out of his pocket, their leader unlocked the musty building before trying to force Shirou inside.

Letting the man push him into the building, Shirou took a curious look around his new surroundings as he eyed the unwashed bloodstains on the stone floor. The room was equally tall as it was dusty, and completely empty save for a small prison cot bolted down to the back wall. Only the eastern and western walls had a set of dirty windows to the outside world, though they were too high up for any regular human to reach.

The men shut the door after Shirou entered the building, and he heard a click as they locked the building from the outside.

"We'll be back soon enough with someone who really wants to meet you. Sit tight while we figure out how to kill you", sniggered one of the guards from behind the locked door.

"_Awfully confident once we aren't face to face anymore", thought Shirou to himself amusedly._

Now alone in the room, Shirou slowly walked over to the cot against the far wall and laid down to stretch his back. He then rolled onto his side moving his cuffed hands into a more comfortable position

"_Might as well take advantage of their hospitality if they're going to make me wait."_

oOoOoOo

Onoki stared impassively at the audience before him. They were gathered in a wide auditorium as he held their attention at the forefront of the room comfortably seated in the Tsuchikage's traditional symbol of power. The room around them was cold – as it should've been – the place originally had been an excavated cavern deep in the bedrock of the village's foundations.

He had assembled the Council today for one very simple purpose, and given the current political climate of Iwa, he didn't anticipate it being a difficult sell.

Onoki held up a hand, immediately drawing the attention of the entire chamber.

"My trusted council, I thank you for responding to my request to convene. Some important information concerning the future of Iwagakure has surfaced and I would be remiss not to share it with my own advisors."

His voice echoed throughout the room as his audience watched in rapt attention. Since its founding, Iwagakure's command structure had traditionally consolidated most of the power in the Tsuchikage position, unlike its counterparts in Konoha who favored a more even distribution of authority. Onoki himself was a popular leader; granted, one didn't hold power in a military dictatorship for six decades without a loyal following. A veteran of all three wars, he was their hero, their _Ryotenbin_, the man who had tirelessly defended Iwa's walls for three generations without rest or respite.

"I will be as direct as possible – in a recent information report on Konoha, I have received strong evidence confirming the identity of the jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, and the container is none other than the secret son of Namikaze Minato, Konoha's Yondaime Hokage."

The normally collected Council burst into a frenzy of whispers as the information transformed the previous calm into a storm of nervous tension and rising tempers.

Taking the initiative, a scarred man cloaked in a finely embroidered kimono stood from his seat on the clan-leaders side of the chamber. Looking towards Onoki, the man tilted his head in a silent question for permission to speak.

"You have the chamber's attention, Lord Suzumebachi."

Giving a nod of respect to his old friend, the scarred Lord turned to address his fellow audience.

"For decades, Konoha has made a mockery of us. They've massacred our people, they've encroached on our ancestral lands, they've strangled our economic trade routes, they've threatened our very way of life. And now, we've discovered that they've lied to us for years while harboring the Yondaime's legacy, sharpening their hidden blade for when it is poised to slit our throats!"

The audience roared to life expressing their anger at Konoha over the numerous slights against them. At their helm, Lord Suzumebachi continued with an expression of cold animosity fixed on his features.

"We have all suffered at the hands of Konoha! My own family history tells a story that is all too familiar for many of us here. Decades of assassinations and murders by Konoha's agents have left my clan broken and our strength scattered. Fearful of our power, they have shattered our pride as a peoples and our legacy as shinobi. However, they underestimate the resilience of Iwagakure!"

The man raised a scarred arm into the air.

"While they can break us, we will never fade! Thus is the nature of stone. Let us unite once more behind our Tsuchikage and bring justice to the gates of Konoha!"

There was an excited frenzy in the air as everyone in the audience chanted, repeating the man's words.

In a show of solidarity, Onoki floated down to stand beside his oldest general clasping the man's shoulder. Above the roar of the audience, Onoki addressed his people.

"WHO STANDS WITH IWA?"

Watching his people's support, Onoki felt a warm feeling bubble inside of him pushing out the chill of the cold chamber from his old bones.

"_I pray that I can protect these people through one last war…"_

Letting the chamber settle down, Onoki began outlining his immediate plans for the coming campaign against Konoha.

Turning to the head of his ANBU, he ordered for missives to be sent to Roshi and Han recalling both of Iwa's jinchuuriki.

Turning to his clan heads, he ordered a roster of active shinobi fit for duty to be sent in within the day.

Turning to his merchant lords, he ordered a census to be taken on the resources needed to sustain an army.

As each faction acquiesced to his demands, he returned to his seat calling for the attention of the chamber one last time.

"Today, we will take the first step in securing a better future for our village and her people. Today, we will finally right the wrongs committed against us for so long. Today, we stand united as the immovable rock of Iwa."

Onoki made eye contact with his Council members as he flared his chakra, luminescent power swirling around him.

"One last time, Iwa will rise to defend her traditions and avenge the travesties committed against us. Let it be known that our cause is just!"

Amidst his clamoring audience, Onoki concluded the meeting and returned to his seat at the forefront of the room. Back held high, he felt three decades younger as he basked in the energy and anticipation in the room.

_War was coming and it brings the winds of change._

oOoOoOo

Tsunade leaned against the stone wall as she waited for her traitorous teammate to arrive at their pre-determined meeting point. She turned her attention upwards to the gathering clouds above which had cast a long overshadow across the empty streets.

"_The less people here the better, if I need to flatten this snake into a new wallet."_

But she had come anyways, hadn't she? She had voluntarily agreed to meet with her slimy teammate having been lured in by his promises of something she hadn't dared to even dream of in decades.

"Kukukukuku, Tsunade you look as enchanting as the day I left"

Orochimaru had a sardonic smile on his face as he emerged from behind a rooftop of an adjacent building. With a graceful leap, he elegantly crossed the distance between roof and ground landing a few meters in front of Tsunade.

"And you look even pastier than I remembered", shot back Tsunade, "What do you want?"

Orochimaru raised his hands in a placating gesture as he waved to the quiet street around him.

"Can't two old friends just meet to catch up every now and then?"

Impatient with the man's antics, Tsunade shot the snake a burning glare.

"I heard you attacked Konoha and tried to kill the Sandaime."

Orochimaru raised his hand to his mouth in mock surprise.

"Oh my, news really does get around quickly. Well in my defense, Sensei is at the point where old age will probably finish him off soon anyways. He wasn't even able to injure me during our little scrap."

Waving his unblemished arms in front of her, Orochimaru laughed as Tsunade looked on in disgust.

"Then, why are you here? I had assumed you came to seek some kind of healing from me?"

Orochimaru's expression turned fractionally more serious as his yellow eyes focus on Tsuande's own hazel-brown.

"I do need your healing capabilities – it just isn't for me. One of my most loyal soldiers has been suffering a chronic illness since childhood that has steadily progressed with every passing day. My own physicians have identified it to be a particularly aggressive version of tuberculosis, but we can't do anything to halt its progression. These last few weeks, he's been completely bedridden as he coughs up splotches of blood while struggling to take steady breaths."

Clinical interest piqued, Tsunade gestured for Orochimaru to continue, "And his family history?"

Orochimaru paused for a moment as if debating to reveal more information.

"His name is Kimimaro of the Kaguya Clan. I found him during the civil war in the Land of Water, and I genuinely believe he might be the last of his clan. Without any information on his family history, my physicians have been at a complete impasse in developing a treatment for his disease."

Tsunade closed her eyes absorbing the information, mind running through her vast medical knowledge cataloguing a list of possible leads in treating the disease. Clearing her throat to speak, she adopted an objective tone forgoing her typical scorn towards Orochimaru.

"I might have a few ideas on how to save your soldier – granted I'd have to evaluate him in person first. But, why should I help you?"

Orochimaru smiled as he regarded his old teammate.

"During my journeys around the elemental nations, I've come across more esoteric jutsu than any other living person today. And even amongst my rarest techniques, I discovered something that makes it peers look like child's play – a technique that can reach into the pure realm and return the souls of those long passed."

Tsunade gasped as she realized the implications of what Orochimaru was alluding towards. Seeing his grasp on the woman, victory danced in Orochimaru's serpentine-gold eyes.

"Yes, I can even restore your precious Dan and brother Nawaki after all of these years. I can give you a second chance to live the life that you've deserved, but lost to Konoha…"

Tsunade's mind fluttered trying to process the information while she struggled to regain control over her faculties.

"It sounds too good to be true, Orochimaru. Even if you have a technique to resurrect the dead, I suspect they would only come back as mere apparitions of their previous selves, a mockery of the life they lived in our world."

Orochimaru raised his hand stopping Tsunade's wave of skepticism.

"Then how about a brief demonstration? I am a man of my word, after all", chuckled the Snake.

Almost fearfully, Tsunade nodded.

Summoning a brief flare of chakra, Orochimaru closed his eyes in concentration as a singular coffin materialized into existence between the two.

**Summoning Jutsu: Edo Tensei!**

The coffin glowed with energy while Tsunade watched in terrible anticipation as the lid began to open.

A small hand reached out from the coffin pushing the lid all the way open. Standing in front of Tsunade was a twelve year boy with sandy-blonde hair and exact same shade of hazel-brown eyes as his sister.

"Hey nee-chan, I've missed ya"

Tsunade's eyes teared up as she was inundated with memories that she had run away from for so long.

"_Hey nee-chan, teach me a cool new jutsu!"_

"_Hey nee-chan, I'm gonna be Hokage someday just like grandpa!"_

"_Just wait till I get older, nee-chan, I'll protect you if anyone tries to hurt Konoha!"_

"_I'll be back soon! It's just a simple escort mission to the western border!"_

Nawaki had never come back from that mission. She had always regretted not hugging him one last time before he had walked out those village gates.

"N-nawaki, is that really you?"

Her brother only grinned as he propped his hands behind his head.

Unable to hold back any longer, Tsunade stumbled forwards grasping Nawaki in a tight hug, scared that he might vanish if she let go of him too soon.

"Nawaki, I'm so sorry for everything…" whispered Tsunade as silent tears streamed down her cheeks.

Nawaki shook his head quietly and only hugged his big sister back more tightly.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru watched the siblings in front of him with a detached sort of amusement, smirk dancing on the edge of his lips.

"Well, I did say it would only be a brief demonstration, didn't I?"

Making the hand-sign to release the jutsu, Orochimaru cut the connection between himself and the summoning technique. Slowly, but surely, Nawaki's features began to melt back into those of the original corpse used for the Edo Tensei sacrifice. In a matter of seconds, Tsunade was left gripping the decomposing body of an unrecognizable cadaver.

Tsunade turned to Orochimaru, eyes blazing anger.

"What kind of sick joke is this?" she gritted out indicating towards the dead corpse she had in her arms.

Orochimaru gave a pragmatic shrug before explaining.

"There's a price of exchange for everything in our natural world. It's a law of exchange as old as our universe itself... Just as life can pay for death, then death can pay for life."

Tsunade stared at the sacrificial corpse she held in her arms in silence. Even through the mottled flesh and bloodied features, she could tell this was the body of a child no older than twelve, the same age as her Nawaki.

Gently closing the blank eyes of the little boy she held, she carefully set the body on the ground before turning towards Orochimaru with hardened eyes.

"If that's the price of your technique, then I know without a doubt that neither Nawaki nor Dan would be willing to take it. Our deal is off."

Orochimaru frowned as he regarded his former teammate.

"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider? You're making a rash decision here."

Tsunade shook her head silently as she took a deep breath reaching for her dormant chakra networks. Flaring her vast stores to life, she settled in a loose battle-stance, fist raised at her traitorous teammate.

"I'm quite sure. Your poisonous games end here, Orochimaru."

With that, she dashed forwards smashing her first into the ground releasing a seismic tremor towards Orochimaru, as the world around them shook in cataclysm.

_And so the Senju Princess awakens from her dormant slumber…_

oOoOoOo

Shirou sat up as he sensed the approach of a large group of people towards the abandoned warehouse.

Closing his eyes, he felt for the familiar thrum of his magic circuits pushing prana into his surroundings to count the enemy force in an elementary level scouting spell.

_Eight chunnin level people._

He blinked in confusion as his prana reacted to something he had never felt before.

_There seem to be another five people that are showing up as one mismatched signature?_

It was almost as if there was the life energy of five different energy signatures compressed into the form of one person. He had seen unnaturally strong opponents before, but in those cases, he would simply sense one cohesive unit with five-times the normal amount of one energy signature.

"_I'll burn that bridge when I get there"_

Stretching his legs, he inspected the iron manacles around his wrists. Sending a brief flash of reinforcement to his arms, he easily snapped the manacles and massaged his wrists.

He began walking towards the eastern wall, the direction from which the delegation was approaching.

Closing his eyes, he reached out to sense the moving group.

_Fifty meters away._

Wisps of light began to stream from his skin as he flared his magic circuits in anticipation.

_Forty meters away._

He took a deep breath as he stretched his arms above his head and exhaled feeling a sense of calm wash over him.

_Thirty meters away._

He felt for the comforting grip of Kanshou and Bakuya as he traced his favorite set of twin blades into existence, their ethereal beauty reflecting the dim light of the warehouse.

_Twenty meters._

He reinforced his entire body elevating himself to the fighting capabilities of a true heroic spirit, a legendary warrior capable of decimating armies with ease.

_Ten meters._

With a dual strike of his blades, he collapsed the entire eastern wall of the warehouse and burst out into the night intent on ambushing his enemies.

His enemies shouted in alarm as they quickly regrouped while drawing an assortment of weapons leveled at the quickly approaching Shirou.

"_These men are certainly a lot more professional than the usual haul of criminals."_

Undaunted, Shirou felt the cold night air rush past him as he dove into the group of enemy cadres. Gravel crunched under his boots as he charged the dark alleyway. The enemy – having formed into a loose triangle that suggested military training – levelled their blades at Shirou as he crashed into their ranks.

Hammer and anvil. Shirou tore into the center of the men like a vengeful god rending flesh with every slash of his twin blades. Men began to instinctually back away as their basal instincts screamed at them to run.

One of the braver soldiers rallied the group and unleashed an overhead strike in an attempt to break Shirou's momentum, but was thwarted immediately as a thrown Kanshou erupted from his chest. Dodging another slash, Shirou spun as he slammed a fist into the man's chest feeling the ribs break under his blow. Grabbing the groaning man as a shield, he tossed his foe at another incoming enemy before plucking Kanshou from his first opponent's corpse to block a pocket of shuriken from biting into his shoulder.

_Battle was about momentum; especially when you were outnumbered ten to one. As long as he kept moving, then he could keep driving forward before his opponents had the chance to regroup._

The six remaining men began to flail their weapons desperately – less trying to actually harm Shirou, more trying to just keep the grim reaper away. Their ranks began to dissolve as primal fear overtook years of military discipline.

Shirou watched with a clinical look as the remaining forces began to retreat, a retreat towards that strange energy signature he had sensed earlier. He moved to pursue the men, but stopped as he felt a monstrous burst of chakra come from their direction.

A writhing mass of black sinew erupted into the calm night sky in a manner reminiscent of a tidal wave, the tangled threads stretching higher and higher above the retreating men – high enough to block out the half-crescent moon in the distance.

And then the world around them crashed down in a deluge of darkness, as the threads tore into the retreating men tearing them about in a deadly dance of murder. Their pained screams cut through the nighttime air sending shivers down Shirou's back.

"They should've known how I reward deserters", drifted a gravelly voice from the other side of the alleyway.

The black mass of threads retreated backwards revealing the form of a singular man wrapped in a black cloak emblazoned with blood-red clouds. Shirou watched in disgust as the man revealed gaping lesions in his flesh where the threads had slithered back into.

Reinforcing his vision, Shirou studied the approaching man more closely. He was tan of skin with midnight black hair framing the sides of his face. More curiously, he had lines of stitches running across his neck and face that crisscrossed his skin in a sinister fashion. Most importantly, Shirou noted the man's emerald green eyes which were currently narrowed into an evaluative look at the redhead.

"So it's true that you don't seem to fight with traditional chakra-based techniques", remarked the cloaked man, "I'd be curious to see whether collecting your heart would be of any use to me…"

Shirou eyed the man in disgust, "I assume I'm talking to The Merchant?"

His opponent laughed at the moniker, "So is that what they're calling me these days? Tell you what, since I'm about to slaughter you anyways, why don't we introduce ourselves properly?"

"Emiya Shirou, wandering swordsman" answered Shirou briefly in reply.

The Merchant smiled, his stitches stretching the skin around his mouth taut in a disconcerting manner.

"Well met, Emiya Shirou; since I've discarded my clan name long ago, you may call me just Kakuzu."

oOoOoOo

The half-crescent moon lit the alleyway illuminating the shadows of the two men on opposite ends. The area was silent as the air saturated with a mix of prana, chakra, and blood. Shirou rested his body in a loose battle-stance as he tightened his grip on Kanshou and Bakuya in anticipation for battle.

The brief lull was broken as two short tendrils of black thread began to creep out from the stitched lesions on Kakuzu's neck.

In a burst of speed, Kakuzu seemingly materialized directly in front of Shirou swinging a wild haymaker with his left arm. Forced to dodge rightwards, Shirou bent his body painfully backwards letting the arm sail harmlessly above him. With Bakuya in his left hand, he moved to stab the overextended Kakuzu before he could recover.

The blade met Kakuzu's neck where it stopped as if hitting a concrete wall. Shirou's left wrist protested at the sudden resistance while Kakuzu disengaged the redhead and retreated a short distance backwards.

Using his reinforced eyesight, he could see the area he had attempted to stab was onyx black. He watched curiously as Kakuzu's neck returned to its characteristic skin color, unmarked by Shirou's previous attack.

"_He must have some kind of defensive technique similar to my reinforcement ability except with chakra."_

Kakuzu's green eyes glimmered maliciously in the night as he looked at Shirou more warily than before.

"Well, it see—"

Kakuzu's words were cut short as Shirou barreled forwards with both blades raised to deliver a cross-slash. A web of black threads exploded outwards from Kakuzu preventing Shirou from closing the distance. Using his enhanced sight, Shirou was able to distinctly see the tip of each thread which had been sharpened to needlepoint. In a flurry of dexterous footwork, Shirou weaved Kanshou and Bakuya around him in a protective sphere cutting any threads that ventured in too close.

Before the threads could overwhelm him, Shirou flipped backwards putting some distance between him and Kakuzu assessing the range of his opponent's technique.

"_I'll need a different approach…"_

Flaring his magic circuits, Shirou quickly traced a set of ten steel swords that hovered in the air before him. With the wave of a hand, all ten blades shot towards his opponent as if pushed by an invisible force.

Kakuzu ran towards the blades.

Ducking the first missile, he deftly grabbed the second blade out of the air and swung it around to block a third blow while the rest went wide. Still gripping the stolen blade, Kakuzu unleashed an overhead blow towards Shirou channeling pure brute strength devoid of any technique.

Shirou caught the strike with his own twin blades easily cracking Kakuzu's inferior steel. Dark tendrils shot from Kakuzu's shoulder blades which were quickly followed by another club-like blow from Kakuzu's blade. Shirou fell backwards as the attack descended.

And then he smiled.

Kakuzu stopped mid-swing as a blade erupted from his gut having pierced his back.

"_Shit! He can still control the blades that missed me earlier from behind!"_

Retreating backwards, Kakuzu began knitting together his wound using a knot of threads. Meanwhile, Shirou watched his enemy contemplatively.

"_So his previous defensive technique isn't automatic – he's vulnerable if I catch him by surprise. Though the healing capabilities of those black threads is an entirely different can of worms…"_

With an annoyed glare at the redhead, Kakuzu interlaced his fingers together in a handseal as a dome of chakra flared around him.

**Earth Release: Great Mud River**

An enormous flood of earthen swamp emerged from the ground below Shirou threatening to swallow him up. Shirou tried to dodge upwards as the entire alleyway around them was converted to a substance reminiscent of quicksand. While Kakuzu was able to stand on top of the viscous liquid without issue, Shirou had no such technique to prevent his legs from being bogged down.

Stuck inside the swamp-like substance, Shirou traced an onyx-black longbow into existence. Summoning a trio of steel-tipped arrows, he fired them off in rapid succession at his opponent.

Laughing at the futile attack, Kakuzu activated his defensive hardening once again allowing the arrows to bounce harmlessly off of his flesh. His previous arrogance had returned as he slowly walked towards his trapped opponent.

Dismissing the bow, Shirou traced another set of twin blades and threw Bakuya as a projectile towards the approaching Kakuzu.

Kakuzu smirked as he tilted his head rightwards easily dodging the black blade that sailed past harmlessly. As he finally reached Shirou, he extended a branch of black tendrils to trap Shirou's arms while he wrapped his own hands around the redhead's neck.

"Goodbye, Emiya Shirou", whispered Kakuzu as he began to tighten his chokehold.

Shirou made a gargling noise as he felt his windpipe being crushed. Regardless, he forced his mouth into a smirk as one last laugh danced in his eyes.

Cursing at him, Kakuzu dodged towards the ground as the previously thrown Bakuya returned sailing through the air from behind him.

"_The same trick won't work twice."_

His eyes widened in surprise as he watched the blade pass above him, handle first instead of blade.

"_But if he wasn't trying to stab me like last time, then…"_

He heard the squelching sound before he felt it.

Shirou had caught the flying blade by its outstretched handle and used Kakuzu's moment of confusion to sink the blade into Kakuzu's chest – a perfectly executed deathblow to the heart.

Shirou let out an exhale of relief as his opponent's body went limp and splayed onto the ground. Subsequently, the mud swamp began to slowly disappear as Shirou regained some of his previous mobility.

Looking around the alleyway, Shirou hurried back towards the abandoned warehouse before reinforcements could arrive.

_It was only a lifetime of battle instinct that saved him. _

Shirou's primal instincts screamed at him to dodge which helped him shift away from the spear of black tendrils aimed at his back. Still, he was unable to completely dodge the attack and took a deep gash across his ribcage in the process.

Turning back to identify the attacker, Shirou startled as he saw Kakuzu standing in the shadow of the alleyway.

The man had torn off his black cloak revealing his naked torso. Embedded into his flesh were four monstrous masks, each branded with a unique set of markings. Black blood oozed from the broken form of the top-left mask where Shirou had impaled the man.

Kakuzu grinned, stretching the stitches in his mouth into a nightmarish sight.

"**I'll need to find a replacement heart now, Emiya Shirou."**

* * *

**End of Chapter 3.**

**A/N: And that's a wrap! I wanted to explore Shirou's basic fighting capabilities without tracing his arsenal of noble phantasms in this chapter as it lends to writing grittier fight scenes. However, now that Kakuzu is playing serious, it's time to bring out a glimpse of Shirou's real potential next chapter...**


End file.
